Appropriation Bill Aims To Prevent Government Shutdown

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By
Stephanie Mead

Twin Falls, Idaho ( KMVT-TV / KTWT-TV ) The shutdown in October affected not only government workers, but also citizens across the nation.

Now the government has come up with a quick fix so that a shutdown doesn't happen again.

The goal of the appropriation bill is to prevent what happened. Government officials are hopeful that it will be a step in the right direction.

After a government melt down back in October... Congress is under pressure to pass the appropriation to prevent another shutdown.

The House and Senate Appropriations Committees are working on an omnibus package that rolls all 12 appropriations bills into one.

The bill's budget would be 1.5 trillion dollars, which is half of the discretionary portion for the 2014 fiscal year.

"Although this budget agreement, whether they like it or not, is focused on solely this year and next year's problem, but we still have a much bigger debt problem crisis that we face is not going to be resolved by this Omnibus Appropriation Bill," says Senator Mike Crapo.

Now the bill might be a temporary fix for the government, but what does it mean for local agencies here in Twin Falls?

This bill may keep the government in the clear for another year.

But, local government agencies could be in for another few weeks of scrambling.

The Department of Transportation receives 60-70 percent of federal funding per year.

"Most of the project funds things like that are set aside months in advance, so those are already set aside and funded for the active projects going on right now. Those would not see a stoppage today, like many of the other funds, those would stop running until those funds dried up; then we would see a closure slow down," explains Nathan Jerke, Idaho Transportation Department Public Information Specialist.

The bill is working its way through the chambers over the next couple of days.